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Published: January 28, 2007 11:14 pm
Vaccines help reduce meningitis cases
BY RANDY GRIFFITH
The Tribune-Democrat
The word “meningitis” can still alarm parents and school and day-care workers.
But, although Rhode Island schools were shut down after a teen died earlier this month from bacterial meningitis, vaccination programs have sharply reduced such cases, Dr. Louis Schenfeld said.
Reports of meningitis cases often are about the less-serious viral meningitis.
“Viral meningitis is more common,” Schenfeld said. “You get sick three or four days and you get better – 100 percent better.”
Schenfeld, an infectious disease specialist, says he sees about a dozen cases of bacterial meningitis a year at Memorial Medical Center, and antibiotic treatments usually are effective.
“We are the only referral hospital in the general area,” Schenfeld said. “They get transferred to here, as a rule.”
Early symptoms are the same for both types of meningitis: Usually a high fever, headache and stiff neck.
Additional symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, light sensitivity, confusion and sleepiness, according to the state Department of Health Web site.
The only way to distinguish bacterial meningitis from viral meningitis is to perform a spinal tap.
Meningitis is an inflammation of tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord, said Richard McGarvey, health department spokesman. It can be caused by a variety of factors.
“Pretty much any type of bacteria can cause meningitis if it gets into the spinal fluid by whatever means,” said Dr. Perrianne Lurie of the state health department.
A required childhood vaccine has reduced the incidence of one type, Hib meningitis, she said.
Two more-recently introduced vaccines protect against many types of pneumococcal and meningococcal bacterial meningitis.
Some bacterial meningitis is spread by bodily fluids between people in close contact, such as kissing or sharing kitchen utensils.
This has led to isolated outbreaks on school teams and college housing units – and to the recommendation that all college students receive the vaccine.
“Teenagers share everything,” Lurie said.
In Pennsylvania, incoming freshmen must get the shot or sign a form waiving the inoculation.
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